. The cereals in America. iJTRUCTURB OF MAIZE 139 for fodder purposes, and gama grass {Tripsacum dactyloidcs L.) which was a rather conspicuous feature of the native herbage of the prairie regions in the central and southern portions of the United States. The wild protot}^e of Zea has not with cer- tainty been identified. So far as known there is only the one species which includes all the culti- vated t}'pes and varieties of maize.^ 209. Roots.—The fonn and habit of gro^^th of the roots of maize are similar to those of wheat, although modified somewhat in position, due doubtless to the plant
. The cereals in America. iJTRUCTURB OF MAIZE 139 for fodder purposes, and gama grass {Tripsacum dactyloidcs L.) which was a rather conspicuous feature of the native herbage of the prairie regions in the central and southern portions of the United States. The wild protot}^e of Zea has not with cer- tainty been identified. So far as known there is only the one species which includes all the culti- vated t}'pes and varieties of maize.^ 209. Roots.—The fonn and habit of gro^^th of the roots of maize are similar to those of wheat, although modified somewhat in position, due doubtless to the plant being in hills or drills instead of being broadcast. The general tendency is for the roots to grow somewhat horizontally for one or two feet and then turn down more or less abruptly. The position of the roots is modified by the depth of fertile soil and by depth to which the seed bed has been stirred.^ The indications are that the distribution of roots depends more upon a proper supply of ox}'gen and water than upon temperature. The following table shows a Brace roots on Mex. number of roots at six inches from the plant at l?"ioTa'^stlti^n different depths in plants one to six weeks old as farm (after King). examined in a black prairie soil at the Illinois Station:. Depth below the surface iSSS ISS9 IS90 Less than two inches .... Two to four inches Over four inches I 22 X 0 31 17 6 114 59 Total 24 4S 179 I For a summary of the evidence concerning the wild protot3-pe of maize, see Maize: A Botanical and Economic Study. By John W. Harshberger. Contribu- tions from the Botanical Laboratory of the University of Pennsylvania, VoL i, No 2. • N. Y. State (Geneva) Rpt. 1SS7, p. q5 ; iSSS, p. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Hunt, Thomas Forsyth, 1862-1927. New York, O. Judd company;
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